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California illegal gun confiscation initiative gains notice

by Take Two

A trash bin full of handguns collected during the LAPD Gun Buyback Program event in Van Nuys area, north of Los Angeles, on December 26, 2012. By noon LAPD collected more then 420 handguns, rifles and shotguns such as TEC-9, Assault rifle, Uzi, WWI rifle. Apart from it, there are 16 assault weapons and some vintage weapons. One is dated 1895.JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

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Armed agents from the California Department of Justice are traveling across the state looking to confiscate legally purchased guns from people who have become disqualified from having them.

California is the only state with a law governing the seizure of guns from people who are no longer allowed to possess them due to criminal convictions. There are still 19,700 people (totaling 39,000 guns) on the state's Armed Prohibited Persons database, despite regular sweeps for firearms.

However, while there are limits on how far these agents can go to get their hands on the guns, the program is being closely watched nationwide as gun control laws remain a top issue for lawmakers.

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Take Two, exclusively on 89.3 KPCC, 89.1 KUOR and 90.3 KVLA in southern California, and on 88.9 KNPR in Las Vegas, captures the spirit of the West in a conversational, informal, witty style and examines the cultural issues people are buzzing about.